Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Bulgur Salad with Wilted Chard & Green Olives


I saw this salad in the newest issue of Fine Cooking magazine & thought it looked delicious. It's a perfect summer dish for picnicking, or entertaining, because it can be made ahead of time. In fact, it tastes even better the next day. Other than a bit of chopping, it's super fast & simple.

Begin by measuring 1 1/2 cups of bulgur wheat into a bowl. Pour 2 1/4 cups of boiling water over the wheat & cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, wash & dry some Swiss Chard {1 large bunch}. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil & cook the greens for 2 minutes.

Drain them & rinse under cold water. Squeeze out all the excess moisture, and coarsely chop. Set aside for now.

Next, squeeze a 1/4 cup lemon juice into a small mixing bowl. Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic & sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.

Using the side of a chef's knife, mash the garlic & salt into a paste. Add to the bowl...along with 1 large finely chopped shallot.

Stir to combine & let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.

Next, rinse a 1/2 pound of green, pitted olives. The rinsing removes some of the salt content & prevents the salad from being too salty. Coarsely chop them & put into a large mixing bowl. Then, chop 3/4 cups of fresh parsley. Add it to the bowl,

along with the chard & a 1/2 cup olive oil. Toss well.

Add the bulgur wheat & a little of the lemon dressing at a time, to your taste. Toss well & chill until ready to serve.
If you enjoy this salad, you might also like these posts...Lentil & Bulgur Salad, Minted Apricot Couscous, Tabbouleh, or Citrus Rice Salad.

Bulgur Salad with Wilted Chard & Green Olives

Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine
serves 6-8
If desired, rinse the olives before using, to cut down on the saltiness of the salad.

1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat
1 1/2 pounds swiss chard {1 large bunch}, stemmed & coarsely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice {1-2 lemons}
1 large shallot, finely diced
1/2 pound good-quality green olives, rinsed, pitted & chopped
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pour the bulgur into a bowl & add 2 1/4 cups of boiling water. Stir & cover. Let it sit for 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chard & blanch for 2 minutes. Drain & rinse with cold water. Press as much of the liquid out as possible. Transfer the chard to a cutting board & coarsely chop.
Sprinkle the minced garlic with a pinch, or two of kosher salt. Using the side of a chef's knife, mash the garlic & salt together to form a paste. Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl; add the lemon juice & shallots. Let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes. When the bulgur is done cooking, fluff it with a fork. Add the olive oil, chard, parsley, olives, & the lemon juice mixture {to taste}.
Click here for the printable recipe.

2 comments:

Phoo-D said...

This looks delicious! I have been looking for more bulgur recipes and the swiss chard is taking over our garden!

victorinox knives said...

that sounds like a delicious combination! i'll have to try it!

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